We are in the season of being “thankful” and “giving” to our
fellow human beings. As pre-k teachers
ponder culturally developmentally age appropriate activities to engage
preschool activities to engage preschool age students (4-5) on the content of “helping
others” that will be continued into adulthood can be a challenge.
One of the teachers I evaluate selected to present her
students with the goals to gain a deeper understanding of homelessness and
purpose of soup kitchen. After an
in-depth conversation to see what the students knew on the concept of “helping
others” and “giving” that was continued with questions of what they had to
better understand and make interconnections to their lives. Therefore, the teacher introduced various
center related center activities.
Here are some pictures of the planned activities where the
children went to centers to manipulate materials and engage in conversations on
topic. As the teacher circulated, she
engaged students to ensure they were understanding and demonstrating concepts
of “helping others” and “giving”.
Housekeeping center was changed into a Soup Kitchen with the
server line where the students wore hair nets, plastic gloves and reminder of
sanitation/health issues. There were
paper plates with glued foods representing food groups and serving quantity.
While I was observing some of the students asked, “Do you
have a place to stay?” Then they showed
me the Homeless Shelter and the tent for my choice. One child took my hand to the Soup Kitchen
and said, “Enjoy the food”. From my
conversations, I had was evident the students were making connections to “helping
others” and “giving”.
It should be noted that this teacher incorporated the “Tree
of kindness acts” where the students told the teacher fellow classmates acts
then a heart was placed on the tree. In addition,
the teacher wrote the act on a post it note (name, act, date) to different acts
of kindness had been shown in class, outside and on walking fieldtrip to
nursing home facility (next door). Here’s
a picture of how she incorporated the concept of kindness.
Even though this is the season to reiterate “helping others”
and “giving” these are acts that should be reinforced all year long. I truly hope that these activities presented
by this teacher assist you going forward with your students for the need to “helping
others” and “giving.
Special thanks to teacher Susan Blanton, NC pre-k teacher in
Wake County, NC.
